Sammamish to survey Klahanie residents

July 16, 2013

By Ari Cetron

Within the next few months, residents of Klahanie will get calls from pollsters wondering how much they like Sammamish.

The triangular wedge of unincorporated King County borders Sammamish on two sides and Issaquah on the third. State law assumes that at some point one city or the other will absorb the area, which is home to more than 10,000 people.

Under current standards, only Issaquah has the option to do so. The city may put it to a vote as soon as April 2014.

Some residents of Klahanie, and smaller adjacent neighborhoods, have asked that Sammamish annex the area instead.

At a June 11 meeting, the Sammamish City Council voted unanimously that it would be interested in annexing Klahanie if the opportunity were to arise.

The council took another step at its July 9 meeting, voting unanimously to conduct a statistically valid survey to see if Klahanie’s residents would like to join Sammamish.

“Most of them feel they are an integral part of the community,” said Ramiro Valderrama, deputy mayor.

Councilwoman Nancy Whitten asked Valderrama the point of the study.

He replied that, should the area not be annexed by Issaquah, the city will have data about how it might proceed.

City Manager Ben Yazici estimated the survey would cost between $7,000 and $12,000. He said he hopes to have the study commissioned and completed by the end of the year.